As preparations intensify for the 2025 edition of Carnival Calabar, Africa’s biggest street party and one of the top five carnivals globally, Okhma Global, the official marketing and brand management agency appointed by the Cross-River State Government, convened a high-impact investment workshop for leading corporate organizations.

The event, held at the prestigious Lagos Oriental Hotel, brought together representatives from over 70 top-tier brands spanning banking, FMCG, telecommunications, oil and gas, aviation, hospitality, and entertainment sectors, all seeking strategic partnership and brand visibility opportunities within the globally celebrated festival.

Speaking during the session, Mary Ephraim-Egbas, Managing Director of Okhma, delivered a data-backed, sector-specific pitch showcasing how brands can leverage Carnival Calabar’s expansive footprint, projected to attract nearly two million physical attendees and reach over 200 million viewers across Africa and the diaspora through extensive media coverage and digital streaming.

“It has been a deeply rewarding engagement,” Ephraim-Egbas stated. “Over the years, we’ve received numerous inquiries from organizations seeking to understand how best to participate in and benefit from Carnival Calabar. This session provided the platform to not only answer those questions but also correct misconceptions about the carnival’s strategic value to brands.”

She emphasized that the 20th edition of Carnival Calabar, set to run throughout December 2025, will be a milestone celebration. Under the leadership of Governor Prince Bassey Edet Otu, the carnival has undergone a major revitalization, receiving unprecedented executive support to restore its stature as a premier destination for culture, tourism, and brand engagement.

“Governor Otu’s commitment has repositioned the carnival for growth, innovation, and renewed global interest,” she added. “The level of interest we’ve seen at this workshop from both legacy and first-time brands is proof that the market recognizes this renewed potential.”

The interactive session concluded with brand executives expressing their excitement about the carnival’s evolution and sharing expectations around programming, innovation, and activation opportunities. Many participants also filled out formal expressions of interest, signaling their readiness to engage further with Okhma and the Cross River State Government on customized brand activations for December.

The National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) of the Federal Ministry for Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy (FMACTCE) has appointed Engr. Charles Uchenna Emembolu to chair the Council for Creative Technology Futures (CCTF), a pioneering body set to drive innovation in Nigeria’s cultural and creative industries through advanced technologies and platform including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Web3.0, and blockchain.

The CCTF’s mandate is to position Nigeria as a global leader in creative innovation by developing a National Creative-Tech Framework and Roadmap, shaping policy reforms in intellectual property protection, taxation, and technology adoption, and spearheading flagship initiatives such as the Creative Futures Fund, ICE Hubs, and Discover Naija. These will expand job creation, skills development, and global market access for Nigerian creatives across 49 industry sectors.

Engr. Emembolu is a technology entrepreneur, innovation policy advocate, and current Chairman of the Innovation Support Network (ISN) Nigeria, representing over 220 incubators, accelerators, and innovation hubs nationwide. He is also Co-Convenor of the Omniverse Africa Summit, which unites technology and creative sector leaders from across the continent.

At the heart of the Council’s direction and coordination is Mr. Obi Asika, the dynamic Director-General of NCAC, whose track record, leadership and deep industry expertise will anchor the CCTF’s vision, ensure high-level stakeholder engagement, and drive alignment across Nigeria’s diverse creative and technology ecosystems. The ministry of FMACTCE is led by Minister Hannatu Musa Musawa.

“Our creative economy is a catalyst for technology-driven prosperity. The present is digital, global, and transformative. Through CCTF, we will channel that momentum into capital, ownership, and innovation, enabling more homegrown platforms that consolidate our creatives’ global leadership as owners of their value ecosystems,” said Emembolu.

The NCAC will serve as the Secretariat for the CCTF, whose inaugural council members are:

• Charles Emembolu — TechQuest, IT Expert & Talent Development (Chair) 
• Misan Harriman — Director/Photographer 
• Dayo Elegbe — Sponge Group (Digital Marketing) 
• Bizzle Oshikoya — The Plug (Music & Talent Management) 
• Kemi Awodein — MD, Chapel Hill Denham (Investments & Advisory)
• Osas Peter — Founder, BlackAt 
• Malik Afegbua — AI Storytelling & Creative Visual Futurism 
• Sandra Oyewole — Olajide Oyewole & Co. (IP Lawyer)
• Judith Okonkwo — Imisi 3D; AR & Deep Tech Leader 
• Dr. Dahiru Sani — Founder, Kaduna Business School 
• Dr Chinedu Odoala – NCAC (CCTF Secretariat)

The CCTF will seek to deliver actionable frameworks, after which implementation will scale nationally and internationally.

Source: Techeconomy

The African Union has officially designated 2025 as the “Year of Reparations and African Heritage,” launching a coordinated decade-long initiative (2026–2036) to address the lasting impacts of slavery, colonialism, and systemic global inequalities.

Africa’s call for reparations from former colonial powers has moved from activist and academic discourse to the forefront of continental and international policy. The African Union (AU) has formally designated 2025 as the “Year of Reparations and African Heritage,” marking the beginning of a coordinated, decade-long campaign to address historical injustices stemming from slavery, colonialism, and systemic inequities in global governance.

The AU’s mandate, endorsed at the highest level, calls on all member states and AU organs to take concrete actions in pursuit of reparations. This includes redress for the transatlantic slave trade and its enduring legacy, colonial exploitation, arbitrary borders, the destruction of institutions, as well as contemporary neocolonial structures, economic imbalances, and debt burdens.

In a historic decision at the 7th AU Mid-Year Coordination Meeting in July, leaders agreed to extend the program beyond 2025 into a Decade of Action on Reparations and African Heritage (2026–2036). This move signals a sustained, strategic approach to securing justice and restitution for Africa’s people.

“This, undoubtedly, gives us as a Union the opportunity to sustain the momentum for the realization of this noble cause and also to develop well-thought-through strategies to mobilize adequate resources to support the domestication of the subject,” said Ghana’s President, speaking on behalf of the collective African leadership.

The push for reparations has also begun to influence policy debates in Europe. In a recent formal inquiry to the European Commission, European Parliament member Barbara Bonte questioned the effectiveness of Brussels’ Africa policy and asked whether the EU has critically assessed its approach in light of Africa’s growing demands for equitable engagement.

The AU’s initiative reflects a continental consensus that historical injustices remain unresolved and continue to shape Africa’s economic, cultural, and political realities. By prioritizing “Reparations” in the official designation, the AU underscores the issue as a matter of justice rather than symbolic reconciliation.

The coming decade will see coordinated campaigns, diplomatic engagement, and legal strategies aimed at compelling former colonial powers to acknowledge, apologize, and compensate for the lasting impact of historical wrongs. For Europe and other actors, this moment represents both a challenge and an opportunity to redefine relations with Africa on a foundation of fairness, dignity, and mutual respect.

The AU’s message is clear: Africa’s demand for reparations will remain at the center of its international agenda for the next decade. The global response to this call will shape not only the future of EU-Africa relations but also the broader quest for justice in the international order.